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Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director of Doctissimo)
Medical validation:
October 27, 2022
Scientists fear a new wave this winter due to the strong “immune escape” of this new variant. Update with Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor and medical director of Doctissimo.
The BQ.1.1 continues to do its thing. This cousin of Omicron and the BA.5 variant – which appeared a few weeks ago – worries scientists around the world. And for good reason: while the peak of the 8th wave of Covid seems to have passed, scientists are wondering if BQ.1.1 could not relaunch it.
A “moderate” 8th wave of Covid
In its opinion issued this Monday, October 24, the Committee for Monitoring and Anticipating Health Risks (Covars) is rather reassuring: it evokes a current epidemic wave of Covid-19 “frommoderate intensity”.
“A pandemic rebound in France and Europe affects the elderly and remains for the moment of moderate intensity but with a dynamic to be monitored“, details the committee, chaired by immunologist Brigitte Autran.
But this epidemic rebound observed in France “does not seem to be due to the appearance of a new variant stricto sensu”, specifies the Covars. It is a set of factors (decline in collective immunity, climatic conditions favorable to the spread of the virus, etc.) which is at the origin of this restart.
This does not prevent experts from closely monitoring the BQ.1.1 variant. It would indeed present a strong “immune escape”, that is to say a strong capacity to escape the immune response.
A real risk of confusion
In recent weeks, several Covid-positive individuals have complained of new symptoms (stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, etc.). And for good reason: it seems that the new variant BQ.1.1 attacks the gastric mucous membranes of the body.
Covid symptoms similar to gastroenteritis, which can complicate the diagnosis, as confirmed by an expert in the columns of The Express.
“In one afternoon I had three patients who complained of stomach aches before realizing they were Covid positive“, reveals Jérôme Marty, president of the union of the French Union for Free Medicine (Ufml) general practitioner in Haute-Garonne.
According to the CovSpectrum tool, 35% of French people positive for Covid have a BQ.1.1 infection.
BQ1.1 is gaining momentum, it could replace BA5 within a few weeks because it has a greater ability to evade our immunity. How serious will it be? We don’t know but let’s be careful, let’s limit the transmission of the virus.
Vaccine, mask, ventilation, isolation if woozy.— Remi Solomon (@RemiSalomon) October 12, 2022
“The mutation is a degraded parade”
For Dr. Kierzek, however, BQ.1.1 should not be cause for concern.
“Mutation is part of the natural evolution of a virus. But this mutation is a degraded parade: the Covid-19 has multiplied “badly”, in a hurry“, details the medical director of Doctissimo. “You also have to get used to the idea that the Covid will last for years and that we will not be able to eradicate it. The good news is that our immune system has adapted. New variants should therefore be subject to routine virological surveillance and not media alerts..”